The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-09
INGALLS, ON THE SURPLUS
The Kansas Man Would Establish Ma
tional Training-School for Teachers.
he Would Also Fortify the Coasts, Erect Gov
eminent Buildings and Stop Paying Rent
Protection and the Administration.
FIG CARPENTER. in New York World.

he objects to being interviewed, but permits me
TO give the World his views leading matters
Of interest He anticipates lively session, and
has radical ideas as to the surplus. Said he
i think the surplus ought to be reduced: but
my idea to its reduction is far different from
that generally offered. The surplus is a benefit
20 the Nation, rather than detriment 1t
should be matter of pride, rather than of hu-
initiation, and there has been govern
nent in history which, with a people as prosper
bus as ours. has had more millions in ITS treas
ary than sufficed for it's need. / would spend
! this surplus in lettering the condition
of the country. I would establish, first,
. great national institution for the training
Of teachers, as soldiers educated at West
Point aud naval officers at Anhapolis, whose
salaries should be paid from the Treasury. and
who should be sent to those parts or the United
States where they needed, TO establish
common schools, and to battle with ignorance
1 would not give millions to States that have
shown themselves absolutely indifferent to the
education of the people without supervision or
responsibility, as is contemplated in the Blair
bill belive that universal education is indis-
pensable to national existence. but different
method should be adopted to secure it. Again.
while do not advocate the establishment of
larger navy than is sufficient to run snational
errands and to take its place in the pageants of
the seas am decidedly in favor of impregnable
coast defenses. / would put the best guns that
modern invention can furnish on all the head
lands of this country from Nova Scotia Van
couver's Island and supplement these with torpe-
does that would prevent entrance to our harhors
and protect our great commercial cities Then
i
eminent Uncle Sam is too big and wealthy to
be a tenant The government should the
premises everywhere that 1t occupies for courts.
custom houses, postofices. and other purposes;
not costly extravaganza in construction, but
an equivalent in value to the capitalization of
the rent. SO that the government should be con-
stantly present as an existing force among the
people in the remotest localities. sym bolized by
the flag that would float from sunrise sunset
above the national property. l know no better
way than this to teach our people the spelling
of the word Nation with big N and such
system would be invaluable In the fostering OF
patriotism
''But the people already complain of their
taxes"
NO." replied the Senator. s'you are mis-
taken. The people not complaining of tax
alton. The burden of taxation is dishonest
phrase invented by demagogues. They howl at
the burdens of taxation because the phrase
sounds well and the idea is popular It is the
domagogue's stock in trade The people of the
United States pay their taxes without feeling
them, and those which it is proposed to reduce
in cutting down the surplus are those which
are least felt and which volun tarily paid.
The amount contributed by each individual is
30 small as 70 be inappreciable This constant
uproar about the burdens of taxation Is az SEN
Iible as assault upon the laws of nature
would be by the assertion that every is
sustaining an atmospheric pressure of several
hundred pounds upon every square inch of his
body. Il would seem like intolerable hard
ship il all the other facts were suppressed, as
he great problem Of political economy with
which they profess to deal. Ii you don't
rare to pay the tax on whisky, you can get
rid of it by letting whisky alone i
sr chew tobacco, 1 avoid the tobacco tax, as far
as I am concerned, and even were the tax taken
of, don't believe it would reduce the retail
price of whisky, or beer. tobacco. We pay,
they say, 81, O00. coo year duty out of the $780,
100000 worth of sugar which we buy. The
figures sound big. and, when it is considered
that the tax is levied to support the industries
of Louisiana. whose annual production of sugar
has never amounted to more than $50, 900 O00
- aHT7nA Of hSnh has 6Nru
BIZ. 600, 900, it does sound rather INCONSISTENT
Sut il the tex taken off sugar export
duty would un doubtedly be levied in Cuba and
elsewhere, ara the result would be that sugar
would be &c cheaper to the consumer than now.
Il with coffee and tea These articles
were cheaper after being placed on the free
list The producing countries laid an export
tax. The COZ sumner pays the old price and the
foreign government gets the profits instead of
Uncle Sam. AS to whisky and tobacco, these
purchased by tie consumer in such small
quantities that the retail price would not be re-
auced"
do You believe in protection as protection7"
''I es; / believe in protection for the sake of
protection It is upon this policy that the
try has grown TO its present development, and
protection 10 thoroughly In accordance with the
spirit of American progress. It IS also in
eordance with facts. You build up the
most plausible and beautiful theory of free
trade. but when you have finished it is only
theory. Free trade has all the argument, but
protection has all the facts
''Will the tariff be the leading issue of the
next campaign?"
II don't think so. The real question will be
whether the Democratic party has verified it's
accusations against us, and redeemed the
pledges it made to the people in 1884 Has it
turned out any rascalsl Has it cut down OK
penses and increased the efficiency of the gov
ernmenr servicef It consumed with
passionate desire to open the books They
have been opened, but what fraud corruption
mas been shownl What policy has it changeda
What method has it improvedl Has it, in
truth, carried out its promise of 'retrenchment.
economy and reformP This is what the people
will want to know, and it is in this discussion
that think the Democratic party will be found
wanting. It has demoraliZed important parts
of the public business by partisan changes.
pecialy in the mail service whose efficiency has
been seriously impaired and, IN many instances
practically disabled by the removal Of the Re-
publican employees"
Some of these, it is claimed. were retained
on account of the civil service. What is your
idea Of the question:"
II believe in civil-service reform But the
civilservice reform which would enforce would
be to promptly remove every Incompetent Dem !
ocrat and fill his place with an honest, intelli-
gent Incorporating Republican"
How about candidates."
Cleveland will be nominated by reclamation,
and those who hate him most will try the hard
est to get the floor to put him IN nomination
AS to the Republicans. doubt If Blaine cares
for the nomination. Undoubtedly he wanted it
IN 1876; he cared less for il in $780, and was in
different in 1884 He was then engaged on his
book. a work congeniai to him, and am conf |
dent that he die nothing to secure the nomina-
ton. Still, he has an extraordinary hold upon |
the people, anu IL rs Will tdko the nomination L
think it probable that he will easily obtain it. |
His trip abroad, whether taken intentiona ally to |
further his presidential chances or not, will |
better them by removing him from |
the scene of party alteration and giving time |
for old animosities and complications to subside |
and disappear"
Has John Sherman any chance for the nomi-
natlon!
Eyes, think Sherman will have a strong fol-
lowing. His character and career will appeal
powerfully to the conservative forces of the
admitted
financial ability and his high personal character
render him a very formidable candidate and if
nominated he would call out full party support
IL it were not for the antagonism of the friends
or Blaine | should be Inclined to predict his nom
nation. The history of presidential campaigns. |
however, is a story of surprises, and for the last
quarter of century the unexpected has hap
oened The Republican leaders at present
q harmony. and are caring more for the good OF
fEar. H.